Chapter 2

The Teaching of Teaching—United States

Aleta Margolis is executive director of the Center for Inspired Teaching in Washington D.C., which she founded as a third-generation Washingtonian eager to help a struggling public school system.

I'm always ready to learn, though I don't always like to be taught.

—Winston Churchill

ON EXITING A CENTER FOR INSPIRED TEACHING INSTITUTE, SOME OF the teacher participants said that the Institute instructors really didn't teach them anything; they had figured out for themselves how to be great teachers. Perfect! Aleta Margolis thought it was the best compliment she ever received. Now the teachers were owning it: now they knew that figuring out for themselves was exactly how to get students empowered and involved in learning. Aleta explains,